Defending Democracy, Dissent, and A Little Music

Watching the inauguration I felt the same wave of dread I felt when Trump was announced the winner last year. I haven’t always liked who was elected but this feels different. I do feel worried and I can’t tell if I’m being paranoid or if this too shall pass. Right now it feels like it can’t pass quickly enough. In the meantime, I’m rather not be complacent and this list from Timothy Snyder is worth a read.

A few things stood out for me:

Always have a passport at the ready. I’ve always stood by this. But I realized today, my two-year-old daughter still needs one. Now may be the time…

Subscribe to print media. This week I signed up for three separate news outlets that are behind a subscription firewall. I wanted to keep telling myself that news should be free, but real journalism needs funding and so I am doing my small part. I hope you consider doing so too.

For consideration…one of the comments at the end of the article reads: “I would suggest that all the people saying “wait and see, maybe he will not be so bad” are practicing anticipatory obedience. Those people must be refuted at every opportunity.” What do you think?

I’m usually the one in the office raising my hand and asking “why” when the rest of the room is silent. I don’t know if dissent is an obligation, but I’ve always felt questioning is –either because you don’t understand or because you think others don’t (or maybe just haven’t thought through everything)….

“The main principle was that drug education doesn’t work because nobody pays attention to it. What is needed, are the life skills to act on that information.” – Harvey Milkman, American psychology professor who teaches at Reykjavik University.